


Light in the Darkness

by TheStraggletag



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Darkish!Belle, F/M, Imp!Rumple, Kinda Dark, Queen!Belle, Servant!Rumple, complicated relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-17
Updated: 2018-04-17
Packaged: 2019-04-24 10:07:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14353278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheStraggletag/pseuds/TheStraggletag
Summary: Snippets and Ficlets set in the Beauty in Surrender/Give Unto Me 'verse.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Rumple deals with an assassination attempt and must be comforted by his mistress afterwards as he is distraught from the thought of something happening to her.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Rumple deals with an assassination attempt and must be comforted by his mistress afterwards as he is distraught from the thought of something happening to her.

He’d drawn it out for days. By the time he was finished the body was hardly recognisable as such, a tattered mess of bone and blood bound by torn muscle, no skin to be seen. He threw the carcass at the feet of Queen Snow, pleased when her white dress was splattered with blood. Everyone in the throne room froze, except for the kind himself, who was quick to draw out his sword and step in front of his very-pregnant wife.

“What is the meaning of this?”

He would have found the king’s bravado and his futile grip on the sword amusing any other time, but rage left little room for levity. As far as he was concerned that little illegitimate pup and his white-as-snow wife were to blame for what had happened.

“Either you deal with Regina once and for all or I will. If you cared about her at any point, your Majesty, you will execute her next time… It’ll be far more palatable than what I plan to do with her otherwise.”

He disappeared before the little chit, or the annoying gnat flying close, could say anything. The moment he was back at the palace he magicked the blood and gore away, the idea of a bath not even crossing his mind. He was unworthy of such tender ministrations, after all. He passed by the room where he had tortured the would-be assassin, barely noticing the terrified faces of the servants gathered at the door, no doubt wondering how exactly he had managed to get the entrails to stick to the ceiling like that.

He stopped as soon as he entered his mistress’s chambers, dropping to the ground and bowing his head in complete submission. She was already in bed, a few fussing maids plumping her pillows and fretting uselessly over her. Everyone was still on edge, treating the queen like she was made of glass.

“Leave us.”

He didn’t move even as the women swept past him, a few of them even daring to jostle him. He let them, aware of their justified anger with him. He’d failed, after all.

“Come, my beast. Sit with me for a while. I haven’t seen you in days.”

Reluctantly he did as she bid, crawling to her bedside till he was easily within reach. Immediately one of the queen’s hands sunk into his hair, combing it. Usually such caress would have him purring and quivering inside, eager for more. But it felt hollow and unwelcome in light of his failure.

“Why have you left me all alone? I’ve missed you.”

Her words made him shiver, even as self-loathing gripped him.

“I was unworthy to be in your presence, mistress. I am unworthy. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’ve failed, I’ve failed-”

He was gripping a piece of her gauzy nightgown, rocking back and forth and blabbering but one firm tug on his hair shut him up immediately. 

“Hush, my darling. I’ve stopped you from dealing with Regina the way you wanted. I am to blame as well. Besides the assassination attempt was doomed to fail even if you hadn’t caught it in the nick of time, you know that.”

He did, but it did not make things right. The wretch had spilled her blood, had cut her forearm. Even if he’d healed it soon after the damage was done. His mistress had felt pain and fear.

“Lie down with me, sweetheart. Let me comfort you.”

He flinched back, out of her reach.

“I deserve no comfort.”

“Are you disobeying me?”

The queen’s tone, a few seconds ago sweet and tender, was cold and sharp and slapped Rumplestiltskin out of his self-loathing stupor. Quickly he climbed on the bed, his claws catching on the silk sheets, and burrowed close to her mistress, curling around her feet. The smell of her skin comforted, as did the warmth of her. It proclaimed her alive and well. Her hands carded through his hair, nails sharp against his scalp. His whole body sang with contentment as he let her take charge. It was not up to him to decide what he deserved, whatever fault was or was not his. Belle, in her infinite wisdom, would command and he’d obey.

“Stay for the night, my pet. Be my faithful watchdog.”

“As you wish, mistress. Always.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: How many unwanted suitors has Rumple disposed of? Did he turn them into snails?

One moment she was staring at Duke Something-or-the-other, wondering exactly how many hours he took to get his hair to curl just-so against his forehead. The next she was looking at thin air, Rumple’s burgundy magic dissipating.

“Do I need to be worried about an emaciated corpse rotting away in the dungeons unless I send someone to check?”

The words “like last time” hung in the air, a playful sort or reprimand.

“Of course not, mistress. You did not like it last time and I aim to please, always. The little duke is taking a stroll, letting the night air cool his ardent temper.”

There was far too much glee in her imp’s voice. She tilted her head to the side, a fond sort of patience.

“Where is he taking this medicinal walk?”

The beast’s lips curled upwards, a gesture that most would find menacing but she found oddly endearing. 

“In the Infinite Forest.”

He laughed, as if he’d just delivered the punch line of a particularly funny joke, and flashed her a sheepish smile.

“I’ll yank him out in a week or so, he’ll be fine. Well, not mentally, but that’s a lost cause anyhow. All that pomade cannot have left his brain unaffected.”

A maid giggled somewhere to his left. Anna, most likely. The little chit was the least afraid of the whole bunch. She would even dare bribe him with some of the cook’s petit fours whenever there was something to clean that exceeded her mortal abilities, like that time the envoy of the Maritime Kingdom had gifted her Majesty with a baby giant squid. Though the baby had been incapable of producing magical ink- it’d take years for it to happen- he had been more than capable of producing and spraying normal ink. All over the throne room.

“Well, I suppose that’s better than what you did to that baron’s son. The maids were certainly grateful.”

Ah, yes, that little whelp. Disrespectful to his mistress and downright lecherous with the servant girls. His father had to crawl on his knees and beg for his son’s erectile function back. The maids had pampered him for weeks after that, to the point that his little mistress got jealous.

Adorable.

“I should be cross with you.” The way she said it sent a little thrill down his spine. Yes, he thought, punish me. Discipline me. Show me my place. “But I guess you did let him live, and didn’t strip him of any of his bodily functions, as you were ordered. I guess a whipping or two will do. As a reward.”

He smiled maniacally, crouching down and crawling towards her, as fast and as silent as a jungle cat, rubbing himself against her throne, looking for a petting.

“Thank you, mistress.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Based off your answer to a question a while back about what would happen if BIS had a child: Rumple finds out that she is pregnant. He's in awe of her pregnancy, but still worried about what the world will treat her like now. Belle grows frustrated at how he treats her like glass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the idea that Belle gets pregnant and Rumple and her worry that the child will be a target, the only vulnerable one in the family. They agree to hide the pregnancy, give the child up to the orphanage, and later on have the Queen “adopt” him as her ward. If you read the original fic Belle spends an unusual amount of time at the orphanage, because she’s making sure her son is safe. Rumple, of course, also keeps an eye on him.

* * *

They had decided it was for the best to keep the pregnancy secret and to send the child away when the time came. Even if they had managed to side-step questions about the paternity of the child in question- no way anyone would have accepted the beast’s son as an heir to the throne- the child would’ve certainly been seen as the Queen’s weak spot. Belle’s many enemies knew she was immortal- even though some tried to find a magical way to side-step that issue- and so was he. But the queen’s baby would’ve been another story. A vulnerability, an easy target. So they had decided it was for the best to give him away.

From a practical point of view it was easy enough to do. Rumple wove powerful glamouring spells around his mistress till not even the most powerful magical being could see behind them. He was the only one privy to her growing belly, and the quiet radiance of expecting motherhood about her.

From an emotional point of view it was utter agony to see his beloved grow ripe with a child they wouldn’t be able to keep. Belle, his brave, wonderful, Belle, struggled as well, but she was strong and remained determined to do right by her child, even if it came at a great cost to her. So he fed on her strength and pushed away all thoughts of what would happen once the baby was born, concentrating on keeping child and mother safe during pregnancy.

Something that his mistress didn’t always appreciate.

“I can easily reach for the book, Rumple. I’m barely stretching, my feet are firmly on the ground. You’re being ridiculous.”

“Wee one’s been moving around a lot, and I know it tires you. Best not to take chances, mistress.”

He made a motion to caress her stomach, but stopped himself in time. Belle always shied away when he tried that, so he was making a conscious effort to stop. 

She sighed and laid down on a nearby loveseat, the imp perching on the top of it much like a gargoyle.

“By the way you owe poor Mirna an apology. She’s still crying over how you practically attacked her today when she helped me out of the tub.”

The imp huffed, looking remarkably unrepentant.

“Wretched girl was not holding you proper-like. You could’ve fallen and hurt yourself. I’d be very much obliged if you could have Essie assist you in and out of the tub from now on. Woman looks like she could split a log in two with her bare hands.”

He giggled, trying to mask his genuine concern with a little bit of levity. A glance at his mistress told him he had not fooled her, though, and he berated himself for that. She already looked distraught enough, no need to add his burdens to her own.

“Let me read to you, my beauty. I’ve been told I have a rather delicious accent.”

Her tiny smile felt like the best of rewards.

* * *

He was on the verge of sleep, warm and comfortable against his mistress’s legs, his head cradled against her stomach, when he felt it. It was a flutter against his ear, a nudge against his ear, almost. He blinked, his magic instinctively reaching out to whatever it was sensing, and finding something that felt oddly familiar. A bit like him and a bit like the queen, and yet not quite either of them. It was the child reaching out, have been doing it for a while. He tried to ignore it, but couldn’t help but nuzzle close, seeking the little flame out.

“I’ve been thinking, Rumple.”

To his surprise the queen rubbed her stomach fondly, a vulnerable, hopeful sort of look in her face.

“You know how my patronage of the orphanage is well-known. I’m always visiting, always keeping an eye on it. It’s not crazy that I should, say, take a fancy to a child there. Grow fond of him, perhaps adopt him. The kingdom will need an heir, after all. I can’t be queen forever. The child would be my ward and I could raise him up as a prince, teach him how to rule. Such a child would not be seen as a weakness of mine, merely a convenient tool. Not worth considering to get to me. Or you.”

He raised his head, eyes wide and glassy, full of everything he’d held back for months.

“Be honest, do you think it’d be wise? Safe?”

He knew royalty, knew the importance they placed on blood. Blood granted nobility, legitimacy, respect. A ward would be seen as expendable, replaceable. No one would think them a target worth the risk. He smiled wide, the insane sort of full-toothed grin he knew disturbed most people.

“I think it a very wise course of action. Mistress is ever so smart.”

Slowly, shyly, he dared place a palm flat against his mistress’s stomach, letting out a soft cooing sound when he felt the baby kick. His son. He could finally feel him fully.

“Little darling recognises his papa.” Rumplestiltskin tried to cover his sudden sniffle with a cough. Belle’s little smile let him know he had failed miserably.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Bae confronts his mama about his real parentage.

“Take me to mama, please.”

Rumplestiltskin bowed down to the little tot, trying to make him smile. Such a serious face it had.

“Always so polite, little princeling.” He fought the urge to comb the child’s hair back, but barely. Such a pretty child, easy enough to overlook how the shape of their noses and their ears were identical. He squatted down, trying to be as gentle as he could. “Hop on, your Highness.”

A second later he had a handful of Baelfire, the boy displaying not an ounce of fear or mistrust. Rather the contrary, judging by how he snuggled close. He took his moment teleporting the both of them, savouring the contact. But soon enough they were in the library and her Majesty was walking towards them, hands outstretched.

“Bae, darling!”

The kid trotted towards her, falling into her embrace with all the ease in the world. The imp stayed away, looking fondly at both his charges. His family in the shadows, so to speak.

“I wanted to ask you something.”

“Anything, my little prince.”

“Are you my mama, mama?”

Belle looked over at her pet, frowning at the strange question. The imp shrugged, making little sense of it either.

“Well, of course, sweetheart.”

“No, I mean, my real mama. My mama from here.”

The boy gently patted the queen’s stomach, looking very solemn. Then he turned towards the imp. 

“You’re my mama and he’s my papa. That’s why he’s always watching over me, why he frets like you do when I get a scrape and why he always makes sure I wash behind my ears. Am I right?”

For a moment both of them froze, sharing an incredulous look. Rumple saw the lie form in Belle’s lips, saw her mouth part and… close again. Even though fear gripped him his mistress now looked determined, and full of affection.

“Yes, my darling. You’re my baby boy, mine and Rumple’s. And we love you so much. So much, in fact, that we decided it was safer from you if people didn’t know. If they didn’t know how important you are to us, how much we adore you. Can you understand that, sweetheart?”

Baelfire looked at her solemnly. He’d always been a rather serious child, given to introspection. But he was a child still, impetuous and careless at times and so he was already thinking of the forgetfulness potion that he could brew to pluck the dangerous truth the boy had stumbled onto right out of his mind. But the child nodded, instead, promising never to tell. He hugged his mother tight, as if aware of how much faith she was putting in him.

“I love you mama.” A hand slipped out of the embrace, wiggling in Rumple’s direction. Carefully, as if afraid, the imp crawled towards mother and child, extending a clawed hand to gently grasp Bae’s.

“I love you, papa.”


End file.
